Lacing-eye



(No Model.)

F. s'. MOKENNBY.

LACING EYE.

Patented Sept. 30,1890.

'11111111 Lx v f S14/vanto@ A ,M2/@m7 351g n/2 @Mom/w11 Maw@ l/ @12MUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANKLIN S. MCKENNEY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

' LAClNG-EYE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters PatentNo. 437,228, dated SeptemberS0, 1890.

Application tiled October 19, 1889. Serial No. 327.512. (No model.)

To all whom it mag/concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN S. MOKEN- NEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Detroit, county of Vayne, State of Michigan, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Lacing; and I declarethe following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement'. in alacing forkid gloves,boots, or analogous articles; and it consists of the devicesand appliances, together with their` combinations and arrangements, asmore fully hereinafter specified and claimed, and more particularlyillustrated in the accompanyin g drawings, in which- Figure l is a viewof a glove to which my invention is applied. Fig. 2 is a sectional viewthrough one of the loop-eyelets and face of the glove on the line x oc,Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a separate view of one of the completed loopeyelets.Fig. 4 is a View of a blank from which the loop-eyelet is formed. Fig. 5shows a modification of the loop-eyelet. Fig. 6 is a sectional view ofthe device shownin Fig. 5 as applied to an article of apparel.

In a satisfactory and desirable' device for lacing kid gloves, &c., itis very essential that the construction and arrangement of devices besimple, economical, and efficient in their operation and such as to bereadily applied and used. At the same time the lacing must give anattractive appearance and iinish to articles to which it is applied. Itmust also be free from roughness, from a tendency to chafe the wearer,and from a liability of catching and becoming entangled in laces orother articles of wearing-apparel- It is a well-known fact that buttonsand glove-hooks are a source of much annoyance on account of suchliability, and are objectionable from the fact of their often causingdestruction to articles of dress and the like.

It has been the obj ect of my invention to provide a lacing which shalleffectually overcome all of these objectionable features, and to preventthe objectionable liabilities heres tofore common in devices of thisclass.

For purposes of illustration I have shown my invention in the drawingssubmitted herewith as applied to a glove, although I would have itunderstood that I do not conne the application of my invention to aglove alone, as I contemplate its application wherever it is foundadapted.

I carry out my invention as follows:

A represents a glove, which Inay be made and .Iinished in any ordinarymanner, as with the usual inner facing-strip A at the edge. Thematerialof the glove maybe turned over and stitched along the edge toform a neat marginal edge. The edge of the glove Iprovide with a seriesof simple loop-eyelets B, which I construct and apply to the glove inthe following manner:

As more particularly shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the loop-eyelet consists,when completed ready for application to the glove or other article, oftwo arms b b', one of said arms being provided with points for fasteningthe eyelet upon the article. Attention is speciiically called to thefact that the entire eyelet is stamped or formed in a single blank orpiece, as shown in Fig. 4. Intermediate the extremities of the arms Iprefer to narrow theblank, and at which point the eye or loop b3 of Jtheeyelet is formed, by suitably bending or folding the blank, as shown. Atthe point of the loop b3 by suitable means the marginal edges of thedevice are turned to throw the edges of the loop b3 outward and therebyprevent unnecessary wear` and friction on the cord, allowing it to runeasily through the same.

I do not limit myself to any exact shape of the extremities of theeyelet, as one or both may be shaped to form a simulated buttonhead orotherwise shaped to form a neat and attractive appearance. Any shape maybe given thereto which may be desired.

In Fig. 6 I have shown one extremity constructed with an inwardly-turnediiange b4, under which the points b2 on the opposite extremity may beclinched. When this construction is employed, the points are entirelyconcealed when clinchedin the glove, and being under the outer arm lieperfectly smooth. As shown, however, in Fig. 3, one extremity may beconstructed with marginal recesses or notches b5, in which the points ofthe opposite extremity may be engaged and clinched.

The loop-eyelet, when completed ready for application to the article tobe laced, is passed over the marginal edge of the article, as shown,surrounding the marginal edge of the article, the two arms of the eyeletembracing the edge of the article between them, leaving the loop toproject slightly beyond the marginal edge of the article, used uponarticles that are pliable and compressible, as ordinary kid. However,the loop may setin very near the marginal edge.

C represents a lacing-cord, which is passed through the loop oi theseveral eyelets.

The eyelets may be arranged alternately upon the opposite edges of theglove, in which case one end only of the cord need be passed through theloops, and it will be evident that by pulling on the one end the cordmay be readily drawn up so as to bring the marginal edges of the gloveclose together, the lacingcord lying in between and along said edgeswhen they are snug together. The cord is provided with a tab c at theend, so that it will not pull out through the loops. It will beseen,therefore, that the glove may readily be uulaced by loosening thecord and pulling the edges of the glove apart. The eyelets being locatedalternately, as described, the edges of the article may be broughtverysnugly together. There are no projecting points anywhere to catch,and the lacing is everyway neat and tasty in appearance, as well asconvenicnt and secure.

The loop-eyelets may be applied throughout upon the article to belaced,or as shown in Fig. l. The upper part of the article may beprovided with hooks D of ordinary construction, upon which the end ofthe cord may be laced in the usual manner, thereby taking up the cordafter it has been pulled up to bring the edges of the article together.

The lacing-cord used may be small and of the same color as the articleto which it is applied, and so when drawn up is practically concealedfrom observation.

A loop-eyelet so constructed is made and applied in a single piecewithout the necessity of any additional plate or washer or anything of asimilar nature hitherto employed. There are-no openings or points abovethe surface. The cord will never be disengaged from the eyelets, but isalways in position to be grasped and pulled up to bring the edges of thearticle together, While at the same time it is readily loosened and theedges of the article drawn back for disengagement. It is especiallyevident, moreover, that the cord being thus engaged with the eyeletsupon both edges of the article, upon drawing up the cord the strain isevenly distributed to all the eyelets upon both edges, tending to easilybring the edges together to a proper fit without the liability ofstretching or tearing at any particular point, as in the case of abutton or hook. As the strain is so evenly distributed, the lacing maybe carried to the lowest point of opening at the palm, thereby nicelyclosing that part which is usually left to gape open by the deviceshitherto in use. The construction and arrangement is such that theorifices of the eyelets all lie in the same direction as the marginaledge of the article to which they are applied, and all in line with thelacing-cord when the article is laced up. This construction andarrangement lessens friction and allows the marginal edges of thearticle to be brought snugly together, the lacing lying in between saidedges. These loop-eyelets when applied to a glove present a smoothsurface on the interior and exteriora matter of great advantage andsuperiority. It will be evident that when clinched upon the article thetwo arms are clinched and held firmly together. Where the eyelets areprovided with points, no oriiices are required to be cnt in the articleto which the eyelet is attached, dispensing with the process of punchingthe material to rcceive the fastening, leaving the material intact andin its full strength.

NVhat I claim as my invention is l. As an article of manufacture, aloopeyelet constructed with arms adapted to embrace the material, one ofsaid arms provided with piercing-prongs on opposite marginal edges andthe other arm provided with seats at its sides to be engaged by saidpiercingprongs, the edges of the end portion of the loop being curvedoutwardly, substantially as set forth.

2. As an article of manufacture, a loopcyelet constructed with armsadapted to embrace the material, one of said arms provided withpiercing-prongs on its opposite marginal edges and the other armprovided with marginal recesses on its opposite sides to be engaged bysaid piercing-prongs, the edges of the end portion of the loop beingcurved outward, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof l sign this specification in the presence of twowitnesses.

FRANKLIN S. MCKENNEY.

Witnesses:

N. S. WRIGHT, Cuirs. F. SALow.

IOO

